Bezel for clocks



Sept. 29, 1925. 1,555,595

E. MAIER BEZEL FOR CL Filed May 14, 1924 INVENTORZ A Enlzk Maia];

, AT-TORNEY Patented Sept. 29, 1925.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ERICH MAIER, F SCHWENNINGEN, GER-EE'EANY, ASSEGNOR TO KIENZLE UHB-ENFA- CORPORATION OF GERMANY.

ZBEZEL FUR CLOCKS.

Application filed May 14, 1924. Serial No. 713,250.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, Enron MAIER, citizen of the Republic of Germany, and resident of Schwenningen A/M., Vvurttemberg, Germany, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Bezels for Clocks, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to bezel rings for clocks or watches.

One object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which will hold the crystal or glass firmly but yieldably, thus to pre vent any looseness and at the same time to avoid the necessity of accurate fitting.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device of this kind which permits the easy insertion, replacement and removal of the crystal. I

Another object of the invention is to provide an efficient mounting for a. device of the above kind.

Other objects of the invention are to improve generally the simplicity and efiiciency of such devices and to provide a device of this kind which is durable, economical to manufacture and operate and which will not get out of order.

Still other objects of the invention will appear as the description proceeds; and while herein details of the invention are described, the invention is not limited to these since many and various changes may be made without departing from the scope of the invention as claimed.

The inventive features for the accomplishment of these and other objects are shown herein in connection with an improved clock bezel which, briefly stated, includes a bezel ring mounted around the front opening of a clock and provided in its inner peripheral face with a deep annular ring seat, and at its front part with a shoulder against which is disposed a crystal or glass held in place by a spring split ring disposed in said annular seat and provided with intra-marginal cuts forming spring fingers pressing the crystal against said shoulder. Said spring ring is transversely split normal to the ring, and has an elongated rectangular recess disposed along the outer periphery of the ring to facilitate removing the spring ring.

In the accompanying drawing, showing by way of example, one of many possible embodiments of the invention,

Fig. l is a front elevation showing a clock having my new bezel applied;

is a front elevation showing the spring ring;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged transverse horizontal sectional view, taken on the line 33 of Fig. 1, looking in the direction of the arrow of said line; i

Fig. l is a side elevation showing a fragment of the spring ring; and

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional View, taken on the line 55 of Fig. 2, looking in the direction of the arrow of said line.

My new bezel is shown in combination with the front of a clock having a face opening 11 therein framed by a sheet metal frame ring 12 having a front fold forming a forward bead 14 and an inner framing surface 15. Said ring also has a peripheral fold forming a peripheral bead 16 resting in a rabbet 17 of the opening 11. A facing ring 20 covering the inner surface of said opening has a lateral flange 21 engaged in the groove 22 formed in the bead 16. A re taining ring 25 secured to the clock front by a screw 26 and engaged over said peripheral head 16 cooperates with the ring 20 to hold the frame ring in place.

Abezel ring 28 disposed around said front bead against said retaining ring is providedin its inner face with a deep annular ring seat 29, and at its front edge with an inturned lip forming a shoulder 30. In the present instance, the bezel ring is held in place by a hinge 31 having one member 32 secured to said retaining ring 25- and the other secured to said bezel ring. The bezel ring is held closed by a catch 34. An outwardly concavo-convexed crystal 35 fitted in said bezel against said shoulder is provided with a rear marginal fiat portion 36 engaged by spring fingers 37 of a spring split ring 4-0 disposed in said seat 29 and provided with intra-marginally U-shaped cuts ll (Fig. 52) forming said spring fingers. Said fingers are inclined along and slightly from the spring ring and pressing against said flat portion 36 and press the crystal against said shoulder.

Said spring ring is transversely split=normal to the ring to form abutting abrupt shoulders l4: and to prevent compression of the ring when these shoulders abut as shown by the full lines of Fig. 2. The spring ring is provided with an elongated recess disposed along the outer periphery of the ring at the split to form an engaging face for the reception of an instrument or the finger nail for pressing one end of the spring ring inward, as shown by the dotted lines, to remove the spring ring. This recess forms an abrupt shoulder 47 adapted to engage the shoulder l-t of the opposite end to limit excessive compression of the ring when inserting it.

I claim:

1. In combination, a bezel ring provided in its inner face with a seat, and a shoulder forward of the seat; a crystal in said ring against said shoulder; and a locking ring disposed in said seat and provided with intramarginal spring members holding said crystal against said shoulder.

-2. In combination, a bezel ring provider in its inner face with a seat, and a shoulder forward of the seat; a crystal in said ring against said shoulder; and a spring ring disposed in said seat and provided with intramarginally U-shaped cuts forming spring fingers inclined along the ring and pressing against said crystal and pressing the crystal against said shoulder.

3. In combination, a bezel ring provided in its inner face with. a seat, and a shoulder forward of the seat; an outwardly concavoconveXed crystal fitted in said bezel against said shoulder and provided with a marginal rear flat portion; and a locking ring disposed in said seat having spring fingers pressing on said flat portion and holding said crystal against said shoulder.

4-. In combination, a bezel ring provided in its inner face with a seat, and a shoulder forward of the seat; a crystal in said ring against said shoulder; a split ring disposed in said seat and holding said crystal against said shoulder and having a recess near the split. I

5. In combination, a bezel ring provided in its inner face with a seat, and a shoulder forward of the seat; a crystal in said ring against said shoulder; a locking ring disposed in said seat and holding said crystal against said shoulder and having a transverse split and a shoulder near the split.

6. In combination, a bezel ring provided in its inner face with a seat and a shoulder forward o the seat; a crystal in said ring against said shoulder; and a split ring disposed in said seat and holding said crystal against said shoulder and having an elongated outer peripheral recess joining the split and having an abrupt shoulder spaced frrun the split.

7. In combination, a bezel ring provided in its inner face with a seat, and a shoulder forward of the seat; a crystal in said ring against said shoulder; a spring locking ring disposed in said seat and holding said crys tal against said shoulder; said spring ring being transversely split normal to the ring to form abutting abrupt shoulders to prevent compression of the ring when the shoulders abut and having an elongated recess disposed along the outer periphery of the ring at the split to form an engaging face for the reception of an instrument or the finger nail for pressing one end of the spring ring inward, said recess forming an abrupt shoulder adapted to engage the shoulder of the opposite end to limit excessive compression of the ring when inserting it.

8. The combination, with a clock having a front opening therein, of a bezel ring mounted around said front opening and provided in its inner peripheral face with a deep annular ring seat, and at its front part with a shoulder; a crystal in said ring against said shoulder; a spring split ring disposed in said seat and provided with intramarginally cuts forming spring fingers pressing against said crystal and pressing the crystal against said shoulder; said spring ring being transversely split normal to the ring and having an elongated rectangular recess disposed along the outer periphery of the ring adjacent to the split.

9. The combination, with the front of a time piece having a rabbeted face opening therein, of a sheet metal frame ring having a peripheral fold forming a peripheral heat resting in the rabbet and providing an inner annular groove; a facing ring covering the inner surface of said opening and having a lateral flange engaged in said groove; a bezel ring disposed around said front bead; and a glass in said bezel ring.

10. The combination, with the front of a time piece having a rabbeted face opening therein, of a sheet metal frame ring having a front fold forming a forward bead and an inner framing surface, and a peripheral fold forming a peripheral head resting in the rabbet; a retaining ring secured to said front fold and engaged over said peripheral bead; a bezel ring disposed around said front head against said retaining ring; and a glass in said bezel ring.

11. The combination, with the front of a clock having a rabbeted face opening therein, of a sheet metal frame ring having a front fold forming a forward bead and an inner framing surface, and a peripheral fold forming a peripheral bead resting in said rabbet and providing an inner annular groove; a facing ring covering the inner surface of said opening and having a lateral flange engaged in said groove; a retaining ring secured to said front fold and engaged ltit) over said peripheral head; a bezel ring disposed around said front bead against said retaining ring and provided in its inner face with a seat, and at its front part with a shoulder; a hinge having one member secured to said retaining ring and the other secured to said bezel; a crystal in said ring against said shoulder; and a locking ring disposed in said seat and holding said crystal against said shoulder. 10

Signed at Stuttgart, Germany this twelfth day of April, A. D. 1924.

ERICH MAIER. 

